Aug 16, 2007 10:35 am US/Central
Judges Recommend Permits For Big Stone Power Line
St. Paul (AP) ―
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The power lines still need approval by Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission, but its supporters saw the recommendation issued Wednesday as a major boost. (File)
Plans for a new coal-fired power plant near the Minnesota-South Dakota border moved forward this week, with two administrative law judges recommending that state regulators issue permits for the transmission lines the plant needs.
The power lines still need approval by Minnesota's Public Utilities Commission. But its supporters saw the recommendation issued Wednesday as a major boost.
"This is probably the most intensive review of this project that will take place," said Dan Sharp, communications manager for the Big Stone II project.
Minnesotans make up about 2 million of the 2.3 million customers who would get power from the plant in Big Stone City, S.D.
The utilities who want to build the $1.6 billion Big Stone II plant say they need the transmission permits for the 630-megawatt plant to move forward. The plant is backed by a consortium of utilities including Otter Tail Power, Central Minnesota Power, Great River Energy and the Southern Minnesota Municipal Power Agency plan. They already operate the Big Stone I plant and hope to have the new one running in 2012.
But environmentalists are trying to stop the plant, saying so much new energy isn't needed, and that other power options, such as wind, should be explored first. They also say the plant would pump too much carbon dioxide, a key greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming, into the atmosphere, and argue that future regulations such as a carbon tax could leave the plant's customers paying higher costs.
Bill Grant, director of the Midwest office of the Izaak Walton League, said he and other environmentalists will appeal to the PUC to ignore the findings of the administrative law judges.
The Big Stone II utilities have said the plant will use technology to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 percent versus comparable plants. They have also said allowances already have been made to include wind power in the mix and to keep overall mercury emissions at the same levels as the current plant.
(© 2007 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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